On her wedding night, she went into exile with her pharmacy arsenal

Chapter 2262: Throwing dirty water

Inside the carriage, Yan Ruyu's fingers tightened slightly as she held the teacup, her tone tinged with sarcasm: "He makes up quite a story, but if I didn't know the truth, I would have been fooled."

Huo Changhe chuckled and poured her a full cup of tea.

Yan Ruyu turned her attention back to the view outside the car window.

On the street, Zhou Zhenghang's narrative continues.

His voice was tinged with regret, and his eyes were full of self-reproach: "I arrived at that dilapidated temple half an hour early, as agreed."

But I waited in the temple for a full hour, and still didn't see my old friend or the merchant.

Just as I was thinking something had happened and was about to leave, someone suddenly walked in through the temple gate.

He gestured with his hand, his tone becoming serious: "The man was wearing a black cloak, with his hood pulled low, covering most of his face, and you could only see a bit of bluish stubble on his chin."

Behind him followed four tall, burly men, each with a blank expression and fierce eyes; they were clearly not to be trifled with.

"I immediately sensed something was wrong and tried to turn around and leave, but those people moved quickly and surrounded me in a few moments."

Although I had learned a little rudimentary martial arts, I was no match for them. I was subdued in just a few rounds.

As Zhou Zhenghang spoke, he revealed the scars on his arm again: "These scars were inflicted when I resisted, and during the past few days when I was detained by them."

Looking at the bruises on his arm, everyone showed expressions of sympathy. Someone couldn't help but say, "These people are too ruthless!"

"Manager Zhou has really had a tough time, suffering all this for nothing."

Cui Chong's gaze never left Zhou Zhenghang's face, as if scrutinizing every word he uttered.

He asked, "What other characteristics does the person in the black cloak have? Is it male or female?"

Zhou Zhenghang shook his head, a look of confusion on his face: "I couldn't see his face clearly; his skin was almost entirely covered."

After they subdued me, they blindfolded me with a black cloth, gagged me, and took me to a cellar in some unknown place.

His voice carried a hint of fear, as if recalling that terrible experience: "The cellar was dark and damp, and there was no sunlight. They only gave me a little water and dry, hard bread every day to barely keep me alive."

I thought about resisting, about escaping, but the cellar door was locked tight, and there were guards outside; there was no chance at all.

"I was locked up like that for three days until last night, when suddenly there was a fighting sound outside, a lot of noise, as if someone had broken in."

My guards all ran away. Taking advantage of the chaos, I found a rock in a corner of the cellar, used it to break the ropes binding my hands, and then climbed out through the ventilation shaft.

Zhou Zhenghang coughed lightly a few times as he spoke, his face appearing even paler: "After I crawled out, I didn't know where I was. I could only rely on my senses to walk towards the city."

Stumbling and falling along the way, hungry and tired, my clothes were torn to shreds and I had a lot of new injuries.

I barely made it into town this morning.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Cui Chong, his tone sincere: "Officer Cui, I have told you the truth, not a single word of it is false."

I implore you to help me find out the truth, catch those who kidnapped me, and bring me justice.

The people around them started talking again, mostly expressing sympathy for Zhou Zhenghang's plight.

"Officer Cui, Manager Zhou spoke so earnestly, it must be true. You must investigate!"

"Yes, these people are too lawless. They actually dared to kidnap people near Youcheng. They must be severely punished!"

Cui Chong did not speak immediately, but frowned in thought, his face revealing neither joy nor anger.

Zhou Zhenghang felt a little nervous—success or failure hinged on this one move!

Cui Chong finally spoke: "You said you were locked in the cellar for three days? Generally speaking, people don't perceive time in the dark. How do you know it was three days?"

Zhou Zhenghang was taken aback: "This... because they kept bringing me food, I deduced it from the number of times they brought it."

Cui Chong chuckled lightly: "So, these bandits are still afraid of your death, and they've made sure you have three meals a day without missing a single one."

Zhou Zhenghang: "..."

Before he could answer, Cui Chong asked again, "After you escaped, did you see any special markings that could pinpoint the location?"

Zhou Zhenghang looked troubled: "Officer Cui, I was led there blindfolded, and when I escaped it was nighttime, and it was pitch black all around, so I really can't remember the exact location."

All I remember is that there seemed to be a grove of trees and a path nearby; that's all I know.

Woods and paths—you can find at least eight or ten such places outside the city.

He paused, as if remembering something, and added, "Oh right, when I escaped, I think I heard the people fighting mention words like 'sick' and 'the Prince's Mansion,' but it was too chaotic at the time, so I didn't hear them clearly and don't know what they meant."

"Sick? The Prince's Mansion?" Cui Chong's eyes flickered slightly as he repeated the two words, his gaze becoming even sharper.

Inside the carriage outside the crowd, Yan Ruyu's smile deepened upon hearing the words "Prince's Mansion": "Are they trying to smear us?"

Huo Changhe lifted the curtain and looked outside: "Utterly foolish! Do they think they can confuse the issue by mentioning the Prince's Mansion?"

A cold glint flashed in Yan Ruyu's eyes.

Zhou Zhenghang frowned and said, "I didn't hear it clearly either, but recently many people in the city have fallen ill, and it is the Princess who is treating them, so it is impossible for me not to have doubts."

Someone in the crowd said, "That's right, my cousin and his wife have been at the treatment center for a while now. It's indeed the princess who's been treating them with several doctors."

"Could it be that the Prince's mansion colluded with those bandits to deliberately make us sick and require treatment?"

One person makes the suggestion, and others agree.

Zhou Zhenghang lowered his eyes, a hint of smugness flashing across his face.

In the crowd, Bee Whistle, along with a few others, quietly approached the person who had just spoken.

Cui Chong stood still.

Looking at Zhou Zhenghang, she said, "Putting everything else aside, do you know that something else happened in the governor's prison during the days you were kidnapped?"

Zhou Zhenghang looked bewildered: "What is it?"

Cui Chong looked at everyone: "Everyone, does anyone remember that Zhou Zhenghang got into a fight in the street a few days ago and was sent to jail?"

Many people will remember this incident.

Coincidentally, the person who fought with Zhou Zhenghang was also among them.

"I!"

He pushed his way through the crowd: "He hit me, and I'm the one who reported him!"

Zhou Zhenghang was taken aback, then cupped his hands in apology to the man, saying, "I'm truly sorry."

"Officer Cui, I..."

Cui Chong waved his hand: "That's not important."

"The important thing is that Zhou Zhenghang is already dead in prison."

"So, who are you?"